Newcastle’s Aleksandar Mitrovic, centre, rises to head his side’s late equaliser against Sunderland at St James’ Park.
Photograph: Richard Lee/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock

If Newcastle United secure Premier League survival, Rafael Benítez will look back and consider Aleksandar Mitrovic’s late headed equaliser against Sunderland a crucial moment. The way the goal was created – the ball played to the flanks followed by a whipped cross – may point to Newcastle’s best strategy for their final eight games of the season.

Creating chances in that manner was not Benítez’s initial gameplan. He chose to change his side from last Monday’s 1-0 defeat by Leicester, bringing back Georginio Wijnaldum – Newcastle’s top scorer this season – to play in a deep midfield role alongside Jonjo Shelvey, in an attempt to control possession.

Mitrovic rescues point for Newcastle in dramatic derby draw with Sunderland

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Moussa Sissoko played a narrow left-sided role, while the left-footed Andros Townsend was deployed on the right but looked to cut inside and shoot. With Ayoze Pérez used up front for his speed, Newcastle were trying to play good football. Benítez, accustomed to working with top-class technical players, was not making any concessions for this being a local derby and a relegation scrap.

However, Newcastle struggled in the opening stages. Wijnaldum kept things neat and tidy, but was unable to influence the game in the final third, while Shelvey sprayed passes wide but could not provide his usual driving runs. Pérez did not have any through-balls to run on to, while the wide players drifted inside into a congested midfield zone. The one time that Townsend dribbled down the outside and crossed, he created a good chance for Mitrovic, which the Serbian striker blasted over. That was an early sign.

Newcastle started off with both wide players moving inside but were better rewarded with crosses from the flanks Photograph: Guardian

Sam Allardyce’s Sunderland, in stark contrast, were using a back-to-basics approach. Their midfield was highly functional: Jan Kirchhoff stayed very deep to protect the centre-backs, with Yann M’Vila and Jack Rodwell providing energy rather than finesse. The away side regularly moved the ball wide, to the extent that Newcastle’s full-backs were booked in the first half and later substituted because they risked dismissal.

Most crucially, though, Sunderland had a set-piece threat. Wahbi Khazri’s first corner was dreadful but his subsequent deliveries were devilish whipped into the danger zone. He surprisingly played one corner to the edge of the box, and after Rob Elliot parried Fabio Borini’s powerful shot, Jermain Defoe showed his poaching qualities to volley home after the ball dropped loose inside the box. It was that type of game.

Maybe Benítez realised this, because his second-half substitutions involved introducing two extra centre-forwards, Siem de Jong and Papiss Cissé, who both played close to Mitrovic. It was a three-pronged strikeforce at times, complete with Pérez playing from the left. Sunderland were sitting back, concentrating on defending, so Shelvey was Newcastle’s sole midfielder, as they concentrated on getting as many players as possible into the danger zone.

Getting the ball into the feet of the forwards was proving difficult for Newcastle, however, and eventually it was a simple, old-fashioned goal that yielded a point. Wijnaldum, in an unfamiliar right-sided position, beat his man before sending a hopeful, lofted cross towards the far post. Mitrovic, pulling wide on to the Sunderland right-back DeAndre Yedlin – seven inches shorter than the 6ft 2in forward– rose brilliantly and nodded the ball just inside the far post. It was hardly typical Benítez, and more like the type of goal Allardyce’s sides have been famed for. Mitrovic’s game ended prematurely, after collecting a head injury sustained when challenging for another cross.

Benítez has little time to transform Newcastle’s tactics, and his priority will be improving the side’s defensive organisation. Going forward, they might need to concentrate on a simple approach with lots of crosses. If so, Mitrovic’s heading ability will be vital.